Gleason Fest, the annual Spokane music festival and ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease) research fundraiser, will be headlined this year by the bands Blind Pilot and Joseph. The rest of the day-long lineup, which will take over Riverfront Park's Lilac Bowl Amphitheater on Aug. 11, will be announced at a later date.

Both big-name acts hail from Portland and favor glossy folk-pop production and lush vocal harmonies. Joseph, in particular, has a strong Spokane following, having played several well-attended shows here in recent years. (The band's primary songwriter, Natalie Closner, also called the Inland Northwest home for a brief period of time.)

Gleason Fest is, of course, named for Spokane native Steve Gleason, a former NFL player who has been a dogged proponent of ALS research since being diagnosed in 2011. He was the subject of a critically acclaimed documentary in 2016. The festival began in 2012 and has attracted the likes of Portugal. The Man, Grouplove and Pickwick.

Tickets for the festival, which start at $27.50, will go on sale Friday, May 18, at 10 am through TicketsWest. You can also donate directly to Gleason Fest here.

Friday, May 11, 2018

A few weeks ago, the Spokane Arena opened voting for its Bucket List, a survey of local folks' dream concerts. And now that the votes have been tabulated, here are the venue's most requested musical acts.

The Arena says the Bucket List has helped them land requested artists in the past, so it's totally possible that any of these A-list names could eventually make their way to the Inland Northwest. Keep your fingers crossed.

Thursday, May 3, 2018

Get back up on your fences, desperadoes. At least for another couple weeks.

Rock legends the Eagles have postponed their May 8 show at the Spokane Arena, pushing the concert to May 24. The reason for the date change: Per a press release, drummer and vocalist Don Henley is ill.

Tickets that were purchased for Tuesday's concert will be honored at the future date; refunds are also available. Contact the Arena at 279-7000 for any further questions.

Meanwhile, check out writer Elissa Ball's essay in our latest issue about learning to stop worrying and (at the very least) begrudgingly admire the Eagles.

Monday, April 23, 2018

The Arena has reintroduced its "Bucket List" poll, which allows folks a chance to sound off on who they'd most like to see grace the Arena stage. Voting is open now, and you can choose three of your favorite acts here. You have through May 9; the most requested artists will be announced shortly thereafter.

This isn't just another fun survey. The Arena uses the results as a jumping-off point for future bookings, and a number of acts who have appeared on past Arena bucket lists have eventually made it to Spokane: Foo Fighters, Elton John, the Eagles (performing May 8), Metallica (performing in December) and country superstar Garth Brooks, who topped the 2015 list (and — maybe you heard — sold out seven shows here last year).

Of course, we can't tell you who to vote for — though Garth would probably come back if you asked nicely enough — but here are a few suggestions from the Inlander music brain trust:

Bruce Springsteen — None of the Boss' major tours have ever made stops in the Inland Northwest, which is a shame, since we love a blue collar anthem as much as the next city. If we start yelling "BRUUUUUUUUCE" now, will he hear us by the time his Broadway residency is over?

Paul McCartney — Same goes for Sir Paul, who played Missoula in 2014 and Seattle in 2016 but has never given Spokane a shot. We're basically smack dab in between those two places, so maybe he'll throw us a bone next time.

Kendrick Lamar — The recent Pulitzer Prize winner is a commanding live performer, and he's arguably contemporary hip-hop's most vital voice. The Arena doesn't book rappers all that often, but surely they'd make an exception for Kendrick.

Beyoncé — Her already-legendary Coachella set proved that no venue can contain her, so getting Queen Bey to go anywhere is a feat unto itself. She was last here with Destiny's Child in 2005; let's hope the giant Radio Flyer intrigued her enough to come back.

U2 — Few bands know how to make a big room feel intimate like these Irish legends. While known for their elaborate stages and special effects, it's the deep catalog of stirring anthems that makes a U2 show special. When the do an arena run instead of playing football stadiums, how great would it be to see them in Spokane?

Lady Gaga — Whether she's going "full Gaga" and throwing a hyper-theatrical show, or simplifying things for jazzy collaborations with Tony Bennett or songs on her singer/songwriter-y most recent album Joanne, the woman is a mesmerizing performer who would draw from well beyond Spokane.

Bruno Mars — You've seen the pop hitmaker kill it at the Super Bowl halftime show, and his tunes are unavoidable on radio. An Arena Bruno dance party could be one of the best shows of the year.

Iron Maiden — It appears the British metal masters haven't played Spokane since 1988 at the old Coliseum. Thirty years seems long enough, let's get Bruce Dickinson and Co. back to Spokane!

Saturday night at Northern Quest Resort & Casino, I got educated by Dee Snider, the man most of us know for his years as frontman for pioneering glam-rockers, Twisted Sister. It was a lesson I was happy to get, and a reminder of a similar experience a while back.

Several years ago, after years of ignoring and/or dismissing Alice Cooper, I went and saw the man in concert. And that was all it took to understand that I had been missing out, that Cooper had the songs to match the showmanship. Snider emphatically reiterated that point Saturday — that before you dismiss one of these "classic" acts for being merely a remnant of some long-ago pop culture moment, go see them in concert.

Like the case with Cooper, I was always more of a casual observer of Snider's music than a fan. I grew up in MTV's heyday when Twisted Sister's mainstream breakthrough came courtesy of cartoonish videos for "We're Not Gonna Take It" and "I Wanna Rock."

Dan Nailen

The leather jacket didn't last more than a couple songs before Snider ditched it.

At Saturday's show, Snider proved that his music is worth more serious consideration than being relegated to the dustbin of '80s nostalgia. The 63-year-old looked and sounded great, and even without the makeup and crazy stage clothes of Twisted Sister's MTV years, he was fun to watch commanding the stage. And the songs were powerful, straightforward hard-rock tunes impossible not to get swept up in.

The '80s pop giants behind such No. 1 hits as "The Power of Love" and "Stuck with You" have canceled their upcoming tour, including a scheduled Northern Quest gig on Aug. 19, due to their frontman's worsening hearing loss.

"Two and a half months ago, just before a show in Dallas, I lost most of my hearing," Lewis said in a statement released earlier today. "I can't hear music well enough to sing. The lower frequencies distort violently making it impossible to find pitch."

Lewis goes on to say that he believes he's suffering from Ménière's disease, an inner-ear disorder that causes vertigo and tinnitus. Other notable musicians who have been afflicted by Ménière's include singer-songwriter Ryan Adams, who has spoken publicly about his hearing problems, and electric guitar innovator Les Paul.

"I feel horrible about this and wish to sincerely apologize to all the fans who've already bought tickets and were planning to come see us," Lewis' statement continues. "I'm going to concentrate on getting better, and hope that one day I'll be able to perform again."

Refunds will be issued for those who had already purchased tickets for the band's Northern Quest show, which would have paired them with soft-rock hitmaker Richard Marx. You can reach the casino at 481-2800 with any further questions.

Wednesday, April 4, 2018

It's that time of year again. The Inlander's annual Volume Music Festival is right on the horizon, with 80 local and touring acts performing all over downtown on June 1 and 2. The cost: Just $25 for both days.

William Anthony

The Helio Sequence will perform at the Inlander's upcoming Volume Music Festival.

Some of the biggest names we've got include the Helio Sequence, the electro-rock duo from Portland; Chicago's Maps & Atlases, whose material is defined by tight structures and twisty time signatures; and the synth-pop quartet Broncho, who recently toured with Queens of the Stone Age.

Amongst the popular local bands in the lineup: Marshall McLean and the Holy Rollers, Indian Goat, Donna Donna, Mama Doll, Lavoy, Trego and Super Sparkle.

Festival wristbands are now on sale, and you can purchase them here. And if you use the promo code GLOBAL at checkout, you'll get an automatic $3 discount.

Check out the Volume website for the full lineup or see the handbill below:

The playlist below gives you a sense of all the different genres represented at Volume this year.

Also: Sasquatch! Music Festival reveals daily schedule

Gavin DeGraw (left) and Phillip Phillips, who share a headlining bill on Aug. 11 at the Festival at Sandpoint.

The Festival at Sandpoint announced its star-studded 2018 lineup yesterday (and no, it was not an April Fool's Day stunt), ringing in its 36th year with two weekends of rock, pop, folk and bluegrass at Sandpoint's War Memorial Field in August.

Tickets for the big shows range from $40 to $75, and they're on sale now. Here's what you can look forward to.

Aug. 2 — Big Head Todd & the Monsters
The Colorado-bred alt-rockers have dabbled in blues, jazz and funk since forming in the late '80s and have developed a fervent following in jam-band circles.

Aug. 3 — Amos Lee
A traditionalist whose smooth, Americana-influenced sound recalls the great singer-songwriters of the '70s, with the occasional tip of the hat to classic R&B.

ZZ Top performs Aug. 4.

Aug. 4 — ZZ Top
If you were bummed these bearded southern rock legends canceled their previously scheduled Northern Quest gig, fear not: They'll be taking over Sandpoint with those spinning guitars that made them MTV staples in the '80s.

Aug. 9 — Greensky Bluegrass
This five-piece from Kalamazoo puts a jammy, improv-heavy twist on old-school bluegrass, and the result has brought them some cult adoration.

Aug. 10 — Sublime with Rome
Although they didn't have a hit until after lead singer Bradley Nowell's death, Sublime has since had a long (but bumpy) trajectory, now with frontman Rome Ramirez. They're returning to the area following a Northern Quest gig with the Offspring last July.

Aug. 11 — Phillip Phillips and Gavin DeGraw
A co-headlining show with two adult contemporary favorites: Phillip Phillips is best known for winning the 11th season of American Idol and Gavin DeGraw for early 2000s hits like "I Don't Want to Be" and "Chariot."

Beyond those headliners, there will be a family concert on Aug. 5, which features music from the Festival Community Orchestra alongside carnival-style attractions, and the annual fireworks-finale performance by the Spokane Symphony closes things out on Aug. 12.

And in other regional music news, the Sasquatch! Music Festival just announced its daily schedule, with Bon Iver, Modest Mouse and the National headlining each of the fest's three days. Sasquatch! takes over the Gorge Amphitheatre from May 25 to 27.

Alison Krauss, Brad Paisley, John Fogerty, Train, Kane Brown and Joan Jett are among the headliners announced Tuesday for this year. The venue added 1,000 seats in the offseason, raising its capacity to 5,000 for a lineup that's the biggest in the eight years Northern Quest has delivered the Pepsi Outdoor Summer Concerts.

Here's a breakdown of the shows, their starting ticket prices and on-sale dates; visit Northern Quest's website for more info:

June 18: Little Big Town with Jameson Rodgers, tickets start at $69, on sale March 31

June 28: I Love the '90s with Salt N Pepa, Vanilla Ice, Sir Mix-A-Lot, Color Me Badd, and Young MC, tickets start at $39, on sale March 31

July 10: Incubus with Minus the Bear, tickets start at $49, on sale March 31

Brad Paisley headlines July 27.

July 17: John Fogerty, tickets start at $49, on sale March 31

July 27: Brad Paisley with Brown & Grey, tickets start at $69, on sale March 31

July 29: ZZ Top with Robert Cray, tickets start at $49, on sale March 31 (EDITOR'S NOTE: THIS SHOW HAS BEEN CANCELLED)

The 2018-'19 season includes 10 classics concerts and six pop concerts, as well as several special events. Preu is scheduled to conduct five of the classics concerts (Nos. 1, 3, 4, 5 and 10). Each of the five finalists to take his place will conduct the others.

The Pops concerts feature performances by ABBA The Concert, Michael Cavanaugh in "The Music of Billy Joel," and Pink Martini, with backing from the Spokane Symphony.

Special concerts this season include Haunted Hallows: The Music of Harry Potter, The Nutcracker Ballet and Beethoven's Ninth on New Year's Eve.

And the Fox Family Series is back for a second year with Recycled Percussion (featuring instruments made from almost anything), Crique Zuma Zuma (featuring aerial acts, Egyptian limbo dances South African gumboot dances and more) and That Physics Show.